


Insights of a Forgotten Criminal

by CrescentViolett



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Abandonment, Arbiter's Grounds, Desert, Gen, Light and shadow, Loneliness, Prompt Fic, Self-Doubt, Spirits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:34:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25420204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrescentViolett/pseuds/CrescentViolett
Summary: As Link enters the Arbiter's ground the guardians are disrupted from their slumber. Death Sword is alarmed by one of their faithful poes and prepares themselves for the intruder, looking back at past times when a Twili turned human had been the only visitor in years.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 8





	Insights of a Forgotten Criminal

A strange wind swept through the empty Arbiter’s grounds, gently caressing a stone wall before it went through. The wind gained a form - see-through, yes – but still solid enough for a voice to come out - a raspy, almost incomprehensible voice, but a voice nonetheless. 

“Master…” it said. The form had reached a circular room, adorned with pillars and railings, and a gigantic sword in the middle. Ropes with guarding charms were holding it down tightly as a figure appeared above it. They had perched themselves on top of the sword, looking at the entrance with a bored look on their face. Their robes were flailing around them in the breeze the other had caused, their horns the only thing that looked solid as it sighed. 

“What is it?” they said, not looking away from the entrance to the room. 

“Master, it looks like a human has entered the grounds. How do we proceed?” 

“A human,” they said, their voice sounding almost human, if not for the slight growl mixed in there. It was clearer than the other’s however, and they let it echo around the room; as if they needed to think about the words of the poe before him. “I thought I felt something.” And with slight annoyance they turned away from the door and faced the poe. 

“Hinder them. Close the door and hinder them. Hide as best as you can, but don’t be afraid to leave the flames behind if they come too close. I want you to leave as soon as there’s danger, you hear?” 

“Why, Master?” the poe asked tentatively. 

They hummed. “Good personnel is hard to find when a prison has been closed.” They looked away, facing the closed door as if sensing something was already behind it. 

The poe – knowing it had been dismissed – went back through the wall, looking for the others. 

They watched the figure of the poe leave the room out of the corners of their eyes, wisps of white particles left in its wake.

Another sigh left their mouth as they stood up, slowly falling to the ground until their feet hit the hard stone. They barely felt the ground, their form looking more and more like the poes' as time progressed.

Time.

How long had they been here already? For Death Sword, it felt like minutes, but they knew it must've been decades. Their beast-like mouth curled up into a smile at the name they had used for themselves. The poes had called them that the moment they found out they had to stay with the ghosts on the grounds. Not their front name - nor the term 'master' the poes had given after… they didn't remember how long; no, it had been their stage name, the name that had frightened the people of Hyrule. They didn't know why that was the name they had used, or why their body had not remained the same upon returning - or rather, staying - on this god-forsaken earth. They hadn't felt it change - had never even seen it clearly with their own eyes - but after they came back from their slumber, their face had changed to resemble the rumours of the people; devil-like, evil, with teeth that could rip a body apart with ease. Muscle had left their body long ago, their flesh tightly wrapped around their bones. They had become taller - which was a plus in their eyes - but it wasn't of much use as they couldn't even leave the room, locked tight within the barrier their guards had created for them.

So intimidating, yet unable to do something with it. With this new form they could've ruled Hyrule with ease, especially with the unbeatable poes on their side.

They hummed. "Unbeatable…?" The voice was hesitant as they shook their head at the thought. Humans couldn't see them, in that way they could've been Death Sword's personal assassins.

Another thought went through their mind, leaving them quiet at once. Loneliness spread around their entire body, leaving them more numb than usual. People couldn't see the poes… so would that mean… they couldn't see Death Sword either?

Once a rat had come into their room, searching for food before it looked up; its eyes widened before a squeak had erupted from its throat, scurrying away before Death Sword could even notice it was there.

A chilling laugh rose from their mouth, increasing more and more until they faced the sky - as if they were laughing mockingly at the gods. A creature that could destroy worlds with the look of their face alone… could only be seen by animals. Filthy low creatures that couldn't help them in any way, that could only go against them; as if it was their nature.

"But hey," the chilling voice said, now directing itself towards the room and its former guards, "I can't leave this place if I wanted to, so I guess you're all stuck with my handsome face for eternity."

As if to answer them a howling wind swept through the grounds, the sounds creeping through the stone wall like mice trying to get into their burrow when chased by predators.

They were faint and shallow, just like the days Death Sword had spent in this prison.

Only one day they could remember as even remotely interesting: the day a human came into the grounds after decades of silence.

The human was unnatural, able to find Death Sword with hawk-like precision, as if he wanted to find them.

And he did. A few looks, a proposal and moments later he was outside before they could even apprehend what had been asked of them.

It had slowly come back to them, as his voice had been raspy and harsh when he made the offer.

"A human will come soon to these grounds. Kill them without hesitation, and I will set you free. Fail, and you won't live to see tomorrow."

Free...

Did he know about the curse? Did he know about their spirit trapped in a sword anchored down by the darkest spells possible?

Death Sword had laughed after he'd left.

"He thinks he can mess with the gods... even a fool would know their own limits," they'd muttered to themselves.

But he had been right. A human had entered the grounds. And now it was up to Death Sword to kill the poor creature. They almost pitied it.

"How long...?" they said to the wall. "Will the poes kill you before I do? Would be a shame to be honest."

They allowed their thoughts to drift back to the room, to the grounds themselves.

Years ago they had been punished for stealing the most valuable thing - or rather the only thing - in these so-called "sacred" grounds.

A mirror, a special one at that, but more importantly: expensive.

They regretted their decision the moment they'd stepped onto the grounds; transparent beings that glowed bright had destroyed their army with one fell swoop, imprisoning them with glowing shackles.

They were pinned down to the ground despite their efforts, suffocating and gasping for air as the beings closed in on them.

No trial, no defense, nothing to stop them from throwing Death Sword into prison - from killing them in cold blood-, ending their reign of terror over the desert and parts of Hyrule.

They had been trapped here, waking up to find the same dark and dingy room they were now standing in. Why, they didn't know, but one thing was clear: this was their intended punishment. To rot away like the bodies they had left behind in their wake, to feel it themselves.

Shrugging, they couldn't help but agree. "Makes sense." They breathed heavily, the air around them turning into fog, as if they still had some warmth inside their body, tucked away far out of their reach to be able to feel it.

A small click was heard at the other side of the wall, followed with several thuds. The sounds were loud and clear; unlike the noise of rats, their tiny feet hurrying around the room in search of non-existing food.

Was the human already here? It couldn't be… the poes…

They shook their head. "No time for sympathy; you have a task at hand."

And as they walked back to the sword - their feet still barely touching the icy ground - they heard the door behind them open. While grabbing the hilt of the sword, they looked back, facing their opponent.

**Author's Note:**

> Check out the Faces of Evil zine to which this fic is a part of! Amazing artists and writers came together to make pieces for some of your favourite (underappreciated) baddies
> 
> If you want more updates on any of my fics it'd be nice to check out my twitter @CrescentViolett ^^;


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